Recipe: Crispy Kale Bars

Combine kale chips and oats for a post-workout iron boost

Editor's Note: This is Part III in an online series of recipes from Camilla Saulsbury's Power Hungry: The Ultimate Energy Bar Cookbook.

Copious amounts of kale were sacrificed in my pursuit of a kale energy bar. On my umpteenth attempt at puréeing the leaves into gooey-green glue, inspiration struck: why not incorporate the kale in crispy kale-chip form? It only took one batch to know I had a winner. The trick to getting great bars is to make sure that the kale is super-crisp, which is a cinch so long as you dry the leaves thoroughly—I’m talking layers of clean dish towels or many turns in the salad spinner, a mere minute or two of effort, before baking. If water remains on the leaves, the kale will steam, not crisp. I don’t know about you, but the prospect of steamed kale bars doesn’t do it for me. But crispy, toasted seed-enhanced bars? Yes and yes!

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.2. Preheat oven to 350°F.3. To prepare the kale: Thoroughly wash the kale under cold water and then remove all of the excess moisture by blotting the leaves between several layers of paper towels or spinning multiple times in a salad spinner. Transfer the kale to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle the leaves with the oil, tossing to coat the leaves.4. Bake the kale in the preheated oven for 12-17 minutes until the leaves appear paper-thin and crisp, but not browned (watch closely). Using the parchment liner, transfer the kale to a rack and cool completely, about 10 minutes.5. Meanwhile, spread the oats, pepitas, and sesame seeds on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in cereal and berries.6. Crumble the cooled kale leaves into the bowl; gently stir to combine.7. Combine the nut or seed butter, sugar, syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract.8. Immediately pour the syrup mixture over the oats mixture, mixing with a spatula until coated.9. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Place a large piece of parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap (coated with nonstick cooking spray) atop the bar mixture and use it to spread, flatten, and very firmly compact the mixture evenly in the pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firmly set.10. Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 10 bars.

BAR TIPS

For best results, do not use peanut butter; it will overwhelm the other flavors in the bars.

The ratio of dry and liquid sweeteners here is essential for binding the bars—experiment at your own risk!

The crispy kale leaves can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving size: 1 bar

Calories: 205

Fat: 8.5 g, (Saturated 1.4 g)

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 102 mg

Carbs: 29.3 g (Fiber 2.5 g, Sugars 15.8 g)

Protein: 5.8 g

BAR KEEPING

Tightly wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap.

Room temperature: 2 days

Refrigerator: 1 week

Freezer: 3 months in airtight container; thaw 1/2 hour

BAR VARIATIONS

Crispy Spinach and Apricot Bars: Prepare as directed, but use 6 cups of packed baby spinach leaves in place of the kale and an equal amount of chopped dried apricots in place of the dried berries. Omit the almond extract and add 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest instead.